Music and Coffee Shops
by andthenlarryruinedmysociallife
Summary: A collection of thirty three different stoires, with thirty three different pairings, that all have two things in common: music and coffee shops.


**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the characters in this story except Riley.

**Other Notes: **Near the end, when Riley is singing, her singing is in italics.

-x-

"I-I, Albus, don't leave!" she's standing in the middle of their bedroom, tears starting to fall, watching as he stuffs some clothing into his dufflebag.

He casts an angry glance at her. "Why shouldn't I?"

Riley wants to scream. "Because Al, I can't just let you leave! We've been together three years!"

"So? In those three years, you've never told me that you love me, and I'm tired of it!" he turns to look at her, green eyes searching her face for a reaction.

She lets out a strangled noise, trying not to sob. "I-I can't Albus! I've told you that before, I just _can't_."

"And why is that?" Albus demands, clutching the strap of his dufflebag.

Riley searches her mind for an explanation, not finding one. "I don't know why, I just _can't_, Albus!"

He shakes his head, walking to the door of the room. "I'm just _done_, Riley. If you ever find a reason why you can't, come find me." and with that, Albus walks out the door, slamming it shut behind him.

She stares at it, not even bothering to push her bangs out of her eyes. "I'm sorry." Riley whispers to the empty room. "I'm _so _sorry."

-x-

"What happened?" Sarah, Riley's mum asks, sliding a mug of tea across the counter to her daughter.

Riley picks up the mug, letting it warm her cold hands. "Abus left." she says after a few moments of silence.

"Why?" Sarah looks at her daughter, letting out a quiet sigh at the sight of Riley's red eyes.

"He's done. He couldn't it take it anymore."

Sarah gives Riley a confused look. "Couldn't take what, hun?"

"That I can't tell him that I love him." she replies, voice barely above a whisper.

Sarah bites her bottom lip. Riley's always had that problem, not being able to tell people that she loves them.

"And I don't know why I can't tell him that I do!" Riley looks close to tears. "I do love him, Mum! But I just can't tell him and every single goddamn time I try to, the words just won't come out and I-I."

Setting her mug down, Sarah walks around the counter to her daughter, pulling her into a hug.

"I-I, Mum, I wanna tell him." Riley chokes out, burying her face into her mother's shoulder.

"Shh." Sarah coos. "It'll be okay."

-x-

"Al, you can't hide here forever, ya know." James tells his younger brother, waiting for Albus's reaction before he continues. "You're gonna have to go back and tell Riley you're sorry."

Albus looks at him. "What do I have to be sorry for?"

"For being a crappy boyfriend who needs to be more understanding." James is prepared to duck away from a flying book in case Albus takes this the wrong way.

Instead, Albus just glances at him. "More understanding? What do you mean by that?"

"I mean exactly what I said." the hazel-eyed boy leans against the wall behind him.

"I- what?"

-x-

"So, what's the plan?" Rose looks at her gathered cousins. Only Albus, Victoire, Roxanne, and Louis weren't there.

Hugo waves his hand at Lily, who has an eager look on her face. "I think Lils has an idea."

"I do, actually." Lily says, smiling. "We should lock them in a room together and not let them out until they make up."

Lucy raises a delicate eyebrow at Lily. "I think you've been watching too many American sitcoms, Lily."

"That only works on T.V. or in movies." Molly adds, lazily waving her wand above her face, producing blue sparks.

James looks at them all. "It's obvious what we should do, isn't it?" when all he receives in response is blank stares, he sighs.

"What did you have in mind?" Lily asks, looking put out that her idea was dismissed.

"We have to figure out what happened, first of all, and to do that, we need to divide into two groups."

-x-

Okay, maybe getting Albus drunk isn't the best idea Fred and Dominique have ever had, but it was the first thing that came to mind and they know it'll work.

"So, what happened with you and Riley?" Fred asks, watching his younger cousin drown his third shot.

Albus scowls, looking as though he just ate something very disgusting. "Stupid 'itch still hasn't told me that she loves me and I got tired of waitin' for her ta say so and I left."

Dominique glances at Fred, looking a bit nervous, before setting her drink on the table. "And?"

"I went ta James' place and I've been there ever since." Albus says, stumbling over a few of his words.

Fred leans over to whisper in Dominique's ear. "This doesn't look good."

-x-

In retrospect, leaving Lily in charge of the plan probably wasn't the best idea Rose has ever had, but if it works, then great.

"So, Riley, what happened with you and Al?" James asks the red head, passing her the vanilla milkshake that he ordered for her.

She sighs, rolling her straw between her hands. "He, uh, got tired of waiting for me to... erm, tell him that I love you him and he left."

"Do you have any idea where he is?" Rose glances at James out of the corner of her eye.

Riley shakes her head. "No, I don't have any idea at all."

"Oh." Lily takes a sip of her Dr. Pepper.

-x-

"Okay, what was Al's side of the story?" Rose asks Fred.

He looks at Dominique. "It was basically the same as Riley's, but he was kinda bitter about it." she shares. "And he, erm, might've used some rude words as well."

"Really? Albus never cusses." Lucy says from her spot beside Hugo.

Fred looks a bit sheepish. "Well, he might've been drunk..."

"WHAT?!"

-x-

"We need another plan." Lucy says.

"Like what?" Lily asks.

Lucy smiles, looking like a five year old on Christmas morning. "I have an idea..."

"Well, what is it?" Dominique looks ready to go with any plan at this point.

-x-

Riley answers her door, wearing an oversized sweater and skinny jeans. "Is it time already?" she asks, seeing Lucy and Lily standing there.

"Yep." Lily says, tugging on Riley's hand. "Now lets go!"

-x-

"Where are we going?" Albus demands, pulling at the blindfold covering his eyes.

James smirks. "Oh, nowhere."

-x-

"What if it doesn't work? What if I chicken out? What if this backfires?" Riley frets, nervously pacing.

Hugo grabs her by the shoulder. "Everything will be fine. Lucy's plan will work and Al will be moving back in with you within the next few days, got it?"

"Yeah, I've got it." Riley smiles.

-x-

"We're here!" James exclaims. "You can take your blindfold off now."

Albus quickly unties the blindfold, throwing it onto the ground. "Where the fuc-" he cuts himself off, looking at the small coffee shop in front of him.

"_Coffee and Chocolate_, the small coffee shop where you met Riley." James raises an eyebrow at him. "Up for coffee?"

-x-

"Umm... hello." Riley taps the microphone with her pointer finger. "Can everyone hear me?"

Someone, she thinks it might be Sophie, a regular at the shop who always tells her that she'll make it big someday, calls out a loud "YES!"

"I'm Riley Monday, and I've preformed here before, but today, I have a very special message for someone. I hope they understand what I mean." Riley picks her guitar up, resting her fingers on the strings.

-x-

"Okay, James, why are we really here?" Albus asks.

James glances at something (or someone?). "Just wait for it."

"Why? What are we waiting for? James, what the hec-" Albus stops talking hearing a familiar voice. "Oh my God, you didn't." he hisses.

-x-

Riley starts singing, searching for Albus in the crowd. "_Baby, I'm sorry for pain I caused you. I didn't mean to hurt you._"

-x-

Hugo looks back at Albus, watching his reaction.

-x-

"What is she doing?" Albus says in a whisper.

James shushes him. "Just shut up and listen."

-x-

Riley is tempted to stop; she's about to sing the chorus, which holds the whole message of the song. "_I know that you're tired of waiting for me to say those three simple words. But they are the three words I can't bear to say._" she finally finds Albus, locking eyes with him. "_And I'm asking you to wait until I can say them to you._"

-x-

**Author's Note:**

I'm sorry about the crappy song lyrics; I can't write song lyrics to save my life.


End file.
